Souad

Directed by
Ayten Amin

Status . Completed

Country . Egypt, Tunisia, Germany

Original Title  . Souad
Year . 2020
Language  . Arabic
Domestic Release . Film Clinic Indie Distribution


Runtime . 96

Genre . Drama
US Representation . CAA Media Finance 

Status . Completed

Country . Egypt, Tunisia, Germany

Original Title  . Souad
Year . 2020
Language  . Arabic
Domestic Release . Film Clinic Indie Distribution


Runtime . 96

Genre . Drama
US Representation . CAA Media Finance 

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Zagazig, a small city on the Nile Delta in Egypt. Today.

Souad, 19-year-old young woman, leads a double life. While remaining conservative and veiled among her family and society, Souad is obsessed with her image on social media, and goes in several secret virtual relationships with men. She constantly lies about her personal life, projecting wishfully images of a different desired life. Her ambitions are slowly crushed by the invasion of her true reality.

A series of small incidents lead to a tragic event, that makes Rabab, her 13-year-old little sister, embarks on a real-life journey looking for answers.

DIRECTOR

Ayten has been working in the film industry for the past 12 years.

Her first short film ‘Her man’ was selected at Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival, and after receiving several national prizes it was exclusively acquired by Canal Plus in France.

In 2013, her debut feature film ‘Villa 69’, received the Special Jury Award for Arab Film at Abu Dhabi Film.

Throughout her career, Ayten received multiple prestigious awards and recognitions such as the Cairo Film Connection Award for Best Film or Hubert Bals Award at Durban FilmMart. She co-directed the documentary ‘Tahrir 2011’, that was selected at Venice International Film Festival, TIFF Toronto International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Documentary in Cinema For Peace award Berlin 2012.

In 2019 she directed 20 episodes of the hit drama “Saabe’ Gaar” (The Seventh Neighbor), a 70-episode TV series.

CAST & CREW

CAST

Bassant Ahmed
Basmala El Ghaiesh
Hussein Ghanem

PRODUCERS
Sameh Awad

Coproduced by Wim Wenders, Dora Bouchoucha, Mohamed Hefzy, Mark Lofty

FESTIVALS AND AWARDS

FESTIVAL DE CANNES 2020 - OFFICIAL SELECTION

BERLINALE 2021 - PANORAMA

TRIBECA 2021 - INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

SHANGHAI IFF

NEW HORIZONS IFF

INDIE LISBOA

ALICE NELLA CITTA

FESPACO

THESSALONIKI IFF

CPH:PIX

HELSINKI IFF

CINEMED

MOSTRA DE VALENCIA

FEBIOFEST

TAIPEI IFF

SAFAR

MELBOURNE IFF

INNSBRUCK

IFFI GOA

GÖTEBORG IFF

GANGNEUNG IFF

NEW ZEALAND IFF

NEW FEMINITY IFF

"Razor-sharp, nonjudgmental insight, which captures lives as well as environment with a cleareyed neorealist sensibility… flowing dialogue that feels unscripted and true…"

"Souad feels like a window into a world we might never otherwise see."

"Ayten Amin's bold second feature is brilliantly alive."

"Completely captivating performances of her largely non-professional cast."

"It should travel extensively on the festival circuit, attracting the attention of streaming services and distributors along the way."